Aftermath
by Pnkrockprncess8
Summary: Post Stalker-ep. How I think life after 'Stalker' should have been. Greg battles his guilt and Nick tries to move on. (NickGreg slash)


Aftermath  
CSIrocksmysocks

Disclaimer: No, not mine. If it was then there would be tons of Nick and Greg action!

Author's Note: This is my first Nick/Greg fic so please be nice. Sorry if it's not the greatest.

Nick stared at the glass window that separated him and Nigel Crane. Sara's words rang over and over in his head. 'It's over, Nick.' But it wasn't over, not for him. What do you do when you no longer feel safe? How do you move on? Nick sighed and left the police station. He got into his truck and gripped the steering wheel so hard his knuckles turned white. He leaned his head back against the seat and closed his eyes. He let out many deep breaths. After a few moments, he decided to go to the lab.

Greg sat in his lab, his hands were nervously shaking. Grissom had just come in and told him that Nigel Crane had been caught and arrested and that Nick was ok. Greg knew Nick, he knew that even though the older man was OK physically that he was most likely scared to death right now and very on edge.

Greg hated himself right now. He made those damn flyers. He could have lost Nick all because of his own stupidity. He wouldn't be surprised if Nick hated him and never wanted anything to do with him again. After all, if it wasn't for him a freakin' psycho wouldn't have been after Nick and wouldn't have almost killed him.

Nick walked to the lab. People were casting glances at him, asking him if he was ok. Others were whispering and stealing occasional glances at him. He wanted to scream at the top of his lungs for them to stop. But he didn't need anymore people talking about him.

Grissom was on his way to his office when he saw Nick wandering around the lab. "Nick, why are you here? Shouldn't you be home resting?"

Nick let out a bitter laugh. "My house is destroyed right now. Remember the psychic falling through my ceiling?"

Grissom wanted to smack himself for forgetting. "You're right. I'm sorry. So why are you here?" He asked out of curiosity. He cared about the people he worked with and believed Nick should be concentrating to getting better, not work.

"Do you know where Greg is?" Nick asked. He needed to see Greg right now.

Grissom nodded. "He is in the locker room getting ready to head home."

Nick started off in the direction of the locker room when Grissom called out to him. "He wasn't himself at all since this whole ordeal began. He was sick with worry and was so afraid he was going to lose his best friend. We were all worried how he would handle it if..." He trailed off when he saw the sadness in Nick's eyes.

"I know, Griss." Nick's voice was soft and Grissom had to really strain to hear what he was saying. "I thought I was going to die. Don't ever want to put Greggo through that again." Nick turned and ran to the locker room.

Greg shut his locker and leaned his head against the locker; he closed his eyes and groaned. He hadn't heard from Nick and he was wondering if Nick was going to talk to him again.

He heard the locker room door open but didn't turn to see who it was. He didn't care. He heard someone sit down beside him. "Hey." Came a soft southern voice.

Greg looked up and was shocked when saw Nick there. "Hey you." He gave Nick a smile. He didn't see any anger so he hoped Nick didn't hate him.

Nick shuddered as a thought ran through his head.

Greg frowned. "You ok?" He asked concerned about his boyfriend. "What's wrong?"

Nick shook his head. "Nothing."

Greg reached up and stroked Nick's cheek. "I know you. I can always tell when something is wrong."

Nick sighed. "I was just thinking of how I almost never got to see your smile. Hell, I almost never got to see you again. And that scared me a lot, it still does." Tears threatened to fall free from his eyes. He felt stupid for crying. But he knew he could cry in front of Greg because the young lab tech always said, 'crying is a good thing. You need to let things go and when your emotions are crazy and you feel like shit then cry. It's ok.'

Greg wiped away some of the tears that fell from Nick's eyes. "I thought the same thing all day. When I heard that you were pushed through a window I was so scared. I didn't know how hurt you were or if you were ok. When Catherine told me that Nigel was after you I was so afraid. I thought that he was going to try and kill you. I don't want to lose you. Damn fucking flyers." He muttered the last sentence under his breath.

Nick, however, heard it anyway. Greg realized this when Nick's eyes widen for a second. The younger man turned away from Nick. "Hey baby." Nick put his hands on Greg's face and turned him so he could look at him. "This is not your fault! You didn't make him a psycho. You didn't make him do what he did. He chose to do what he did. Don't you dare for a second blame yourself." He grabbed Greg's hand and interlocked their fingers together and gave it reassuring squeeze.

Greg let out a small, bitter laugh. "Yeah, logically I know that. But I can't help thinking that I had a helping hand in this whole mess. That you would have been safe and no one would have hurt you if it wasn't for me. Nigel Crane wouldn't have stalked you, watched you. He wouldn't have pushed you out of a 2 story window. And he wouldn't have tried to kill you."

Nick shuddered as the memories of the night flooded his mind. He knew that no matter how long he lived that he would never forget this night.

Greg saw the pain in Nick's eyes and he mentally scolded himself. "Baby, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring it back up."

Nick shook his head. He leaned his head on Greg's shoulder. "You didn't. It's still so fresh in my mind. I won't ever forget it. It won't ever leave my mind."

Greg sighed and ran his fingers through Nick's hair. "You don't have to worry about it anymore. Nigel Crane is locked up for life. He'll die in jail. It's over, Nick. He won't ever hurt you again. I won't let him. I promise. I love you so much."

Nick smiled and looked up at Greg. For the first time that day he felt safe. He reached up and put his hand behind Greg's neck and pulled him down for a passionate kiss that left them both breathless. "I love you, too."

"You want to stay with me for a while?" Greg asked Nick as they walked out of the lab.

Nick smiled and nodded. "Of course. Can't really stay at my place. Plus, all that free sex is a definite bonus."

Greg laughed. "Just get in the car, cowboy." Nick laughed and hopped into the car. They drove off to Greg's place. Nick still had that fear enstilled in him but at least now he knew Greg was going to try and protect him. He could finally move on.


End file.
